Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary

69 Pages·2017·3.14 MB·English

SATs Survival Year 6 Parents’
Grammar,
Punctuation and
Vocabulary
Practice and Revision
Activity Booklet
Contents
1 Information and Guidance for Parents page 3
2 G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes pages 4-15
3 G2: Functions of Sentences pages 16-19
4 G3: Combining Words, Phrases and Clauses pages 20-25
5 G4: Verb Forms, Tense and Consistency pages 26-33
6 G5: Punctuation page 34-41
7 G6: Vocabulary pages 42-46
8 G7: Standard English and Formality pages 47-50
9 Answers pages 51-69
Page 2 of 69
1 Information and Guidance for Parents
This booklet is intended to help you navigate your way through the terminology of the KS2 Grammar,
Punctuation and Vocabulary test (often referred to as one of the ‘SPAG’ assessments) so that you can
support your child during this busy (and sometimes daunting) period of their life.
The terminology of the SPAG test can often be a minefield for parents, who are often not familiar with
the current curriculum in school. You may have overheard your child using phrases like fronted adverbials,
relative clauses, subordinating conjunctions, the subject and object of a sentence, and wondered what they
all mean?
This booklet is intended as a guide to the terminology of the Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary test
so that you, and your child, can use it as a revision reference in the build to their KS2 SATs assessments.
Throughout the booklet, you will find explanations of the areas tested within the assessment with example
questions in each section.
How to Use This Booklet
Each section in this booklet refers to one of the areas (or domains) tested in the ‘English Grammar,
Punctuation and Vocabulary’ or ‘Paper 1’ booklet. Read and discuss each section with your child and check
their understanding of the terminology. At the end of each section, there are some SATs-style questions to
see if your child can apply their knowledge. See if your child can answer each question independently first
and then, if necessary, discuss the answer using the revision notes in the booklet to support them.
By using the questions and discussing each answer with your child, you’ll identify areas of the curriculum
they need further support with. You can then use resources on the Twinkl website to further practise this
area of the curriculum. For example, your child may struggle recognising and understanding the passive
voice, therefore you could search for other passive voice resources on the Twinkl website. There are also
some resources highlighted in this booklet with direct links to the Twinkl website.
What Is My Child Being Tested On?
The Key Stage 2 English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling assessment comprises of two papers. Paper 1
is the Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary test and Paper 2 is a separate Spelling test. This booklet deals
only with the content found within Paper 1. For support with the KS2 Spelling Test, please use the SATs
Survival: Year 6 Parents’ Spelling Practice and Revision Activity Pack.
The Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary test covers seven different content areas, which are listed in the
table below:
Each of the content areas above is a broad
G1 Grammatical terms / word classes
term for several sub-domains that children will
G2 Functions of sentences learn throughout their KS2 education (e.g. the
G1 content domain is split up further into G1.1
G3 Combining words, phrases and clauses
Nouns, G1.2 Verbs, etc.). The test content is
G4 Verb forms, tenses and consistency
drawn from the content of the entire programme
G5 Punctuation of study for English. Due to the extent of the
topics covered, not every aspect could possibly
G6 Vocabulary
be tested each year, therefore the questions do
G7 Standard English and formality
vary from year to year.
Page 3 of 69
G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes
2
Nouns
Nouns are naming words. You need to know the different types of nouns and be able
to spot them in a sentence. Use this table to help you identify different types of nouns:
These are straightforward, everyday words for
things. They can be singular or plural. They are
Common Nouns words like:
chair, pen, pencil, bike, house, monkey, elephant,
fish, cheeseburger
Proper nouns are the names for particular people,
places, or things. They also include days and
months. Proper nouns should always start with a
Proper Nouns
capital letter.
River Mersey, London, Mr Smith, Scarlett, Rohail,
Tuesday, December, Sandown Street
Collective nouns are the special names for groups.
Collective
a crowd of people, a herd of reindeer, a gaggle of
Nouns
geese, a swarm of bees, an army, a pack of wolves
These are names of things you can’t see, touch,
taste, smell or hear. They are used to name ideas
Abstract Nouns and concepts such as:
friendship, love, fear, education, politeness, beauty
For further activities and resources on nouns, please see:
Identifying Different Types of Nouns Lesson Teaching Pack
What Are Nouns PowerPoint
Spot The Pronouns and Nouns Differentiated Activity Sheet
What Is a Proper Noun Resource Pack
Page 4 of 69
G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes
Verbs
Verbs are words that tell us what is happening in a sentence. They are often referred to as
doing or being words. If a sentence doesn’t have a verb, it’s NOT a sentence. Here are some
examples of verbs in sentences.
Stop the car! The boy ran across the playground.
They eat strange food. She is painting the wall.
Sentences can contain more than one verb!
The Verb ‘To Be’
To be or
A tricky one for children is the verb ‘to be’ as they don’t always
not to be?
recognise it as a verb. That’s why it is important that verbs
are referred to as doing and being words. ‘To be’ is an irregular
verb so use the table below to help you identify it in its different
tense forms.
The verb ‘to be’
1st person present I am
2nd person present you are
3rd person present he is, she is, it is
1st person plural present we are
2nd person plural present you are
3rd person plural present they are
1st person past I was
2nd person past you were
3rd person past he was, she was, it was
1st person plural past we were
2nd person plural past you were
3rd person plural past they were
The different forms of ‘to be’ will sometimes appear in sentences with another main verb, e.g.
‘Ben is playing football’ or ‘During yesterday’s lesson, we were writing stories.’
For more support with verbs see:
Verbs PowerPoint
Using the Verb ‘To Be’ Present and Past Tense
Page 5 of 69
G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes
Adjectives
Adjectives are words used to describe nouns.
A large, black cat climbed along the high wall.
It is the Spanish flag.
A colossal giant.
The house was in pristine condition.
Adjectives can be used to describe: colour, size, shape, condition, age, personality, texture,
feelings, appearance and origin/nationality.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Adjectives can also be used compare things. These are called ‘comparatives’. They can tell you
if something is bigger, better, smarter and so on. You often add -er to make comparatives but
sometimes the words ‘more’ or ‘less’ are used too.
The new car was smaller than her last. She was happier after dinner.
Jack ate the smaller slice. She is less thoughtful than her brother.
The ‘superlative’ is used to show something is the most, least, best or worst. Sometimes the
words ‘the most’ and ‘the least’ are used to make the superlative.
Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
It was the most wonderful sight he’d seen.
For more support with adjectives see:
Adjectives Activity Sheet Resource Pack
Comparatives and Superlatives Activity Sheet
Page 6 of 69
G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes
Co-ordinating Conjunctions
Conjunctions are words used to join clauses or sentences together. Firstly, children are taught
co-ordinating conjunctions that are used to link two separate sentences together. They are
often taught the acronym ‘FANBOYS’ to remember them:
for and nor so
but or yet
Both parts of the sentence (or main clauses) on either side of the conjunction would make
sense on their own.
It was getting late and Mia had to get ready for bed.
Nell needed a shower so she turned on the water.
Subordinating Conjunctions
Throughout KS2, children are taught to use subordinating conjunctions to create complex
(multi-clause sentences). A good way to remember some of the main subordinating
conjunctions is:
I SAW A WABUB!
If Since As When Although
While After Before Until Because
Subordinating conjunctions are used at the start of subordinate clauses.
The children were allowed to play until it got dark.
Put up the posters before the parents arrive.
As she had won the race, she was happy.
Subordinate clauses do not make sense on their own. They can appear at the beginning and at
the end of sentences.
For more support with subordinating conjunctions see:
What is a Subordinating Conjunction Resource Pack
Identifying Subordinating and Coordinating Connectives Activity Sheets
Page 7 of 69
G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes
Pronouns
Pronouns are words that are used to replace a noun or a noun phrase. Without pronouns,
spoken and written English would be very repetitive. For example:
Steven likes to play football. He practises every weekend.
In the second sentence, the pronoun ‘he’ refers to Steven. It has been used to avoid the
repetition of using his name again. Please see below for a list of personal pronouns:
I you she he it they me him her them
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership or who something belongs to. They are: mine, yours, his,
hers, its, ours, yours, theirs.
Jack won the medal. The medal is his.
That’s mine!
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns are: who, whose, which, where, when and that. They are used to add further
information about a noun in a sentence. For example:
She lives in Manchester, which is in the North of England.
The relative pronoun above is used to start a relative clause (‘which is in the North of England’)
to give more information about the noun – in this case it’s giving the reader more information
about Manchester.
For more work on pronouns see:
Grammar Pronouns - Working From Home Activity Booklet
Relative Clauses Application Activity Sheet
Page 8 of 69
G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes
Adverbs
Adverbs are words that usually give more information about a verb (they can sometimes
describe another adverb or clause) explaining how, when, where or why an action is taking
place. Consider the following sentence:
I rode my bike.
If you add an adverb of manner, it gives more information about how the action in the
sentence was done:
I rode my bike quickly. or Slowly, I rode my bike.
Adverbs can also be used to indicate the time, frequency or place of an action that takes
place in writing. For example:
Time: Yesterday, I rode my bike.
Frequency: I always ride my bike to school.
Place: I rode my bike outside.
Adverbs of Possibility
Read the crystal balls below. The adverbs in each of the sentences are used to show how certain
we are about something – these are called adverbs of possibility.
Perhaps I Lizzie is
Maybe it
will have fish definitely
won’t rain
and chips coming to
tomorrow.
for tea. the party.
For more work on adverbs see:
Identifying Adverbs Differentiated Activity Sheet
Writing Sentences Using Adverbs of Frequency Activity Sheet
Adverbs of Possibility Finish the Sentences Differentiated Activity Sheet
Page 9 of 69
G1: Grammatical Terms and Word Classes
Adverbials
Adverbials are phrases (a small group of words) that function like an adverb. They usually
express place (in the garden), when (early one morning) and how (like a flash of lightning)
things happen. For example:
The birds flew through the sky.
I went for a walk in the evening.
The boy ate the chocolate with a smile on his face.
Fronted Adverbials
A fronted adverbial is a single word, phrase and or clause that comes at the front of the
sentence (it comes before the verb or action it is describing). It is always separated from the
main clause with a comma. For example:
Inside the sunken ship, a school of fish swam.
Later in the evening, they sat down to watch television.
Nervously, she walked onto the stage.
For more work on adverbials see:
What Is a Fronted Adverbial Resource Pack
Adverbials for Linking Sentences and Paragraphs - Time, Place and Number Activity Booklet
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